Our Story
by stellar-x
Summary: Bella didn’t expect to know him. In fact, she didn’t know he was even capable of making her question everything. WIP. AH/AU. Completely OOC. Bella/Jasper. Rated M for vulgar language.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

Bella flicks her burnt end of her cigarette onto the drain pipe. It soaks into the muddle of rainwater that hasn't slid off the roof yet. She takes another hit. She has already lost count of how many cigarettes she'd smoked since she sat on Curtis Moelk's rooftop, considering how busy she was lighting another to notice where her old cigarettes have landed.

It doesn't matter. Why is she even thinking about those dead cigarettes?

A cold breeze of September air blows toward her direction; goosebumps pelting on her skin, her knees trembling, as she sits there in her ungodly _short_ shorts. Why she even let Edward dress her like this is beyond her. Of course, her best friends are insanely _whore_-ribble regarding their fashion statements, which actually says about what kind of person she certainly is. You certainly can tell a lot about a person when you know who their friends are.

Edward, though gay, is selfishly suicidal that he'd probably take anyone with him to the grave. It's probably mostly because he hasn't gotten laid in months after Erik Thomas ended their relationship by calling him a _faggot_. Of course, despite his concrete bravado, he practically wears his heart up on his sleeve; and now, he curses on every male specimen he comes across with.

Alice, on the other hand, is almost careless and always drunk to function; there is no _in-between_. She spent most of her elementary days in a very expensive Catholic boarding school upstate. What she lacks in height, she makes up for in her excessive intake of alcohol. Even with her wild lifestyle, she has an unshakable faith in God and is nauseatingly optimistic. She is a petite girl with short black hair that made her look so cool – aside, of course, from the cliché fact that she is currently dating Emmett McCarthy (the football quarterback).

But despite all that, they are her best friends; two of the few people that she trusts with her life, and considering she doesn't trust anyone easily, this level of intimacy speak on so many levels. And tonight, her two best friends dragged her to this awful party and left her alone to do their own business.

_So much for being best friends_, she realizes.

Bella can hear the loud echo of the disco-pop music blasting from the party. In fact, she can smell the booze stronger than her cigarettes. She doesn't know why she even agreed to come here. But she knows that _refusing_ to go is technically pointless since her friends don't accept no for an answer when it involves dancing, booze, and lots of sex (not that she wants to be a part of that).

Besides, in Edward's words, this is a better distraction than lying on her bed while waiting for a call that may never come. Bella even wonders if he will actually think to call her. Maybe not. They didn't exactly separate on good terms the last time they saw each other, and that had been a week ago.

More than half of the student population from John Marshall High has come to attend the end-of-the-summer party. Curtis Moelk, one of the empty-brained jocks, organized one at the behest of his peers. The popular kids are invited by default, of course; and no, they aren't the popular kids. Though, even if they aren't the popular kids, she can say that they still have their own reputations. Alice is known for screwing around half of the student body before deciding to become a saint; Edward, in another matter, is a messed-up kid who reads Nietzsche on his free time and fucks boys in the janitor's closet; and Bella, of course, is simply known for being the Sheriff's good daughter.

Not that she'd been good at all.

She throws what remains of her cigarette. She reaches to grab the last cigarette from her left ear and groans in disappointment upon realizing that the one she threw was her _last_ cigarette. With a sigh, Bella carefully turns back to re-enter the window where she came through earlier when a strong, manly figure knocks her down against the roof. She stumbles, barely catching herself from falling off the roof, and she yelps in surprise –

A hand clamps around her mouth, stuffing the words she is about to say back down her throat, and her back leans against a strong chest with lean arms holding her in place. She struggles, eyes wide in anxiety, to which her captor responds with: "I'm not gonna hurt you; stay quiet - "

_The hell he won't!_

With her free elbow, she hits his rib – remembering what her father taught her before.

"Ow! What the hell," the man cries, but he refuses to let her go. "Do that again, and we'll both fall off this roof."

_Is that a threat?_

Then, a loud bang echoes into the room. She tries to wriggle off his grip again; maybe someone would hear her, but soon, her hopes to escape dissolve into thin air when she hears a quiet, simpering whimper from the room, and an irritated musing: "Where the hell did he go? Ugh!" Then, it is followed by a cackle of heels and a loud slam of the door.

Without a moment longer, her captor immediately loosens his grip on her.

Bella crawls off his lap and moves to the far end of the roof before looking back to see the man's face. Scowling at him, she seethes in anger: "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing?" The man, concealed in the shadows, releases a clucking sound.

"Look," the man begins, raising his hands in defense, "I'm _really_ sorry for manhandling you that way. Truly, I am. But you see, I was desperate _not_ to be seen, and seeing as you weren't exactly helping to shut up soon, I had to do something."

She scoffs in disbelief.

"So it was my fault, then? You invaded _my_ space - "

"Oh – so this is your roof, is it?" He quips, and Bella can almost imagine his shadowed face mocking her. She glowers. "Last time I checked, Curtis Moelk is not the Sheriff's son. Nor that the Sheriff has a son."

Bella opens her mouth, wanting to answer but not finding the right words to argue.

Of course, anyone who lived in this town for most of their lives had to know her as the Sheriff's daughter.

"Well, I got here first," Bella insists, folding her arms over her chest.

"But weren't you about to step out when I arrived? So that means you were leaving; hence the roof is once again free," he explains, the victory in his voice sound grating to her ears that she might be tempted to rip her off. But no, she can't lose her shit to this _pompous ass_.

Bella huffs, "I was going to get some cigarettes."

He guffaws – a loud, boisterous, _unashamed_ laughter booming into the air around them. He even rocks back, unable to keep his laughter contained. Bella can only watch with such annoyance, sighing in defeat; then his laughter dies into a series of chuckles, and then he says: "Okay, sorry about that; but can I make it up by giving you cigarettes? I have a few here if you want – "

Without needing to be asked twice, Bella lays out her hand to him; though her eyes remain suspicious of him. He pulls out a half-empty pack of Marlboro from his jeans and hands her three sticks. She doesn't take it and glares at him expectantly, to which he replies with, "Oh come on – can't you leave two sticks for me?"

"It's payback." Good grief, the looks she usually sees on Edward is actually quite helpful. He's always been the unforgiving of them three, and once you betray him, he never forgives you. She might actually kiss Edward tonight; though she highly doubts that he would've appreciated that.

"One stick...?" He compromises, though it sounds more of a plea. _Really?_

Bella shakes her head.

The man resigns and moves closer to hand her the rest of the packet; that is the first time she sees his face, not even close, but close enough, and she knows him. Why didn't she recognize his voice? She frowns, her hand that holds the cigarettes left in the air, as she keeps on staring at the man before her.

Dirty blond hair, tight jawline, and God – those blue eyes. How could she _not_ remember? Bella takes an ample of her time to observe him. He looks good; in fact, he looks more _mature_ than the last time she'd seen him. She notices how lean his figure is and remembers that he plays for the soccer team.

Jasper Hale.

The man – Jasper – rests his back against the wall beside the window and crosses his arms, stating, "Judging by the look on your face, I take it you didn't recognize my voice; well, that's a shame because I remember you, _Bella_."

Blinking, Bella swallows the lump in her throat and ignores him by lighting her cigarette. She holds it between her chapped lips, allowing the smoke to fill her lungs entirely, until there is no more space left for air. She blows out the smoke into the air. She stares into the night sky, into the countless stars, into the bit of distance between here and there, in an attempt _not_ to be distracted by the man she shares the same air with. Of all evenings she can trapped with him, why does it have to be now?

"So, what are you doing out here?" Jasper asks, after a while, possibly tired of the silence between them.

Bella huffs, finishing her cigarette with one long puff, "I could ask you the same question." She steals a glance at him, only to find him leaning down against his arms while watching the crowd of intolerably wasted people mingle from underneath them.

"Yeah," he drawls. "That's actually a funny story."

"Why?"

Jasper glances at her in amusement. His blue eyes swimming in her own, trying to find something in its depths, before his lips spread into a smile. On his cheeks, two dimples appear under the stubble growing around his jaw; suddenly, a weight drops on her stomach.

He answers, shrugging off his shoulders, "I was running away from Lauren. She can be a bit... _difficult_." Leaving it at that, Jasper returns his attention to the group of men cheering on a sophomore drinking himself stupid. He chuckles as the sophomore falls down and vomits the beer he has been chugging for God-know-how-long; then he turns back to Bella, who lights another cigarette right after finishing the first one.

"Do you know _her_?" He asks, making conversation.

"Who?"

"Lauren Mallory."

"Oh," Bella snorts, "Who doesn't? She is a world-class bitch. My friends and I hate her, along with a little more than half of the student population, except maybe the varsity teams because she is _good in the sack_." From the corner of her eyes, she sees him nodding his head strongly as she talks; though whether he agrees with her or something else, she can't tell.

He laughs mirthlessly.

"Right," he chokes out in between his chortling, " – well, I guess I was stupid to think that I was the only one who knew. Well, stupid enough to think I was her only one." Bella snaps her head to him, watching him; her brown eyes scanning his face for something and even her she can't be certain she is looking for, guessing she would probably find out once she sees it, but she doesn't.

"What?"

The word slips out of her mouth before she can even think of what to say. _What do you mean, what?_ It shouldn't have come out as a surprise because Lauren Mallory is known for cheating on everyone she dates. If Alice had a horrible reputation, Lauren has it worse. The only thing that allows her to get away with it is her being a spoiled, rich brat.

_Christ, Bella, you're such an idiot._

"Well, you see," Jasper begins to explain. He lays his back on the roof and rests his head against his hands while staring into the night sky. Then, he cranes his head sideways to meet Bella's eyes and continues, "We were dating. You probably wouldn't notice because she flirts with anyone within a mile radius; but at least to me, we were. Then, she decided to entertain other guys. I got into a couple of fights, and I found out that Lauren has been cheating on me since the beginning of this relationship. I guess I was too wrapped in her song to actually notice."

Bella grimaces, "Did you seriously compare her to a _siren_?"

"Yes, I guess I did. Doesn't it fit?"

"No. I think _harpy_ sounds waaaaaay better, don't you? Claws and all that." Bella retorts, a giggle bubbling out of her throat. "Whatever you saw in her, I'm not really sure what because I was never fooled by that spiteful bitch."

The man beside her explodes in another fit of hysterical laughter. Then, he stops for a second and glances at Bella, who watches him with a confused look on her face, before continuing his laughter; and this time, she laughs with him. They laugh for a few minutes until they lost count of how long they've been laughing; but even as the tears leak out of the corner of their eyes, they continue to laugh. Truthfully, not one of them has a clue as why they are laughing, but they do.

It is such a strange coincidence. Bella hadn't seen nor talked to Jasper since... well, since their lives have taken a sharp and narrow curve to adulthood; it hadn't been easy, she assumes, for either of them. But perhaps this moment right here is a sign that perhaps they both could use a break from everything.

And, as though on cue, their laughter ends at the alarming sound of police sirens. It becomes louder as it rounds right into the corner of the street. Black-and-white cars with red-and-blue hoodlights park in front of their host's house; someone screams and then the chaos begins. Bella straightens herself, the anxiety and the adrenaline pumping in her bloodstream. She glances back into the window and sees everyone run for whatever their lives' worth.

"Bella," Jasper calls her, and she turns to see him crouched in front of her with a worried glance, "Come on. We gotta go right now. The cops are here – " She shakes her head; no, she has to get back to her friends. She can't leave them alone. "Look," he shakes his head too, "We're gonna get busted. Now, I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to wake up in a detainee's cell right on the first day of senior high."

"My friends – "

"They can take care of themselves – "

Bella hears another scream. Below them, she watches two cops pin down a lanky teenager who pointlessly tries to struggle off their grips. Then, she sees everyone run to their cars or into the neighbors' backyard. Her eyes scan the vicinity, searching for her friends and making sure that they're safe, but she can't see them.

Where the hell are they?

"Bella! Come on! We have no time – "

"Just go – "

"I'm not going to leave you here!"

"I can take care of myself – "

Whatever they both shared earlier, laughing until their lungs burst, it has faded. Nothing matters to her except her friends.

With a sigh, Jasper shakes his head one last time before leaping off the roof to the garden. He lands perfectly and begins to run along with the remaining of the crowd. Bella follows him with her eyes, and even though she doesn't know why, she can't tear her gaze from him until he disappears in between the tiny palm trees in the garden.

Bella pockets the remaining of her cigarettes and slips back into the empty bedroom connected to the rooftop. She hurries into the hallway, bumping into a few shoulders, as she makes her way to the living room. Looking around, she can't find her friends; what if they've been taken already? What if they've been arrested? Christ, she can barely think straight, and the amount of alcohol she drunk tonight was not even quarter of the alcohol consumed by a normal party-going teenager.

Where are they?

She staggers into the front porch; the cops are either running after the other kids or handcuffing them. Her chest tightens at the thought that her friends had been taken. Oh god – her dad is going to _skin_ her alive. Even if her dad is the town's sheriff, he still has an obligation to uphold the law – daughter or no daughter – and she can't protect her friends, she can't defend them, she... she will lose their trust –

A hand flicks her wrist and handcuffs her left arm.

Bella glances back in shock, mouth open, and argues: "Hey! What the _fuck_ are you doing? I'm an adult – " She struggles to fight back, causing her to accidentally snap her wrist in the process, and she screams. "Shit, man! You _can't_ arrest me! Ow - " Tears leak out of her eyes in pain, and she winces as she tries to free her other arm.

"Hey!" She hears a familiar voice shout behind her. Turning back, she sees him marching back, with a finger pointed at the man assaulting her. And before she can register anything, Bella hears a loud crack, followed by the cop landing onto the floor. "Let _her_ go, you assclown - "

Two other cops grab his arms and drag him back.

"Jasper, no – " Bella widens her eyes at the two cops. She shakes her head, begging, "You can't arrest him – " The oceanic shade of his eyes, the ones she grew up looking up to until she didn't, she has seen that before and she wonders if she'll even forget about it.

He shows her an assuring smile. "It's okay, Bella – "

"But... you didn't do anything wrong – " Then, Bella hears the handcuffs locking behind her, indicating that struggling is a futile effort. Another strong hand grips her elbow and drags her back to car. She glances up; no, she doesn't recognize any of them, she hasn't seen them before. Entering the police car along with other teenagers, Bella peers out the window and sees him pushed into another vehicle. Christ, this evening is going to be a very long one.

* * *

Two hours. Two _fucking_ hours.

That is how long she has been sitting there. And yes, she counted, because to be honest, there isn't much to do when your ass locked up in a detainee's cell. Bella sighs. If her friends were here, which she realized aren't, they would tell her to keep glaring at the rails until they melt. Or they could play truth or dare. Or they could sing songs until the cops decide that they've had enough and let them go.

At least, they're _okay_.

She shares the cell with three other girls; one cries in the corner while the other two are incessantly yapping about what a mess their hair looks or how their mascara has been ruined. _Ugh, for the love of God_. And as for Bella, she sits on the corner of the cell, a hand cradling her sprained wrist, waiting for the pain to subside. Turning her head sideways, she finds the man – who she didn't realize she has been looking for – with his arms hanging on the rails while looking out at her.

Clearing her throat, Bella informs him – trying to avoid his eyes as much as possible: "I hope you aren't looking for favors because I didn't ask you to save me." She could use for a smoke right now, and she wishes they didn't have to take away her cigarettes – maybe, this night wouldn't end so badly.

He snorts loudly. The amusement in his eyes is apparent; though as to why, she doesn't know.

"You looked as if you needed it."

"Well, I didn't. So it's your wasted effort."

Jasper adjusts his stance, his gaze piercing through the rails that divided the two of them, "You know, a small '_thank you_' would suffice. I mean, that's all I ask – " The corner of his mouth bends into a smirk, making her eyes roll.

She glances back to the other girls in her cell; the crying girl in the corner has already fallen asleep on her bench with her denim jacket draped around her shoulders and the two others girls decide to gossip in hushed voices about her – so obvious that they want her to see them whispering to each other – but all Bella can do is release a deep breath. She tries to ignore them, but to be honest, they are more interesting to talk to rather than _him_.

Christ. This is pathetic.

Then, her ears perk up at the sound of footsteps walking down the hall. She straightens, as the two others girls did too, hoping that someone would see reason and release them from this. A cop appears, fidgeting to find the key to the cell, followed by an old man with a mustache that she can never mistake to be anyone else's except her father's.

Her stomach churns.

She swallows, her saliva tastes like poison in her mouth as she waits for the inevitable.

God – she is in so much trouble.

"Let's go, young lady," the cop calls out as soon as the cell door slides open. Not hesitating, Bella rises from her seat and walks out of the cell; her wrist still cradled to her chest, and the pain hurts less than the scathing look her father throws her. If only she could break her other wrist, maybe he'd pity her.

Bella glances up. Her eyes immediately lock with the blond's on the other cell. She catches him nod at her before turning to her father, who eyes her with worry, and she hears him ask: "What happened to that?" He points to her wrist. Shaking her head, she flashes him an assuring smile.

"It's nothing, Dad." The old man – Charlie – raises his eyebrow. He gives her a knowing look to challenge her stubbornness, which she inherited entirely from him, and knowing that he doesn't back down, she sighs before explaining: "I struggled, and I sprained it. It's fine."

The three of them head to the office. Bella isn't a stranger in the office, really, or anywhere in the vicinity – having to grow up around cops – but somehow, as she enters, she suddenly feels like a lost puppy in the wolf's den. The cop, who opened her cell, goes back to his desk where he sits quietly with the rest of his companions. Next to her, Charlie remains standing by the door, his hands on his hips, and Bella dreads the next.

"Alright," Charlie breaks the deafening silence in his casual yet firm voice. He glances around. "Tonight, some of you raided a party at the hillside. And I know that most of you are new cops from the city – " Well, that explains why she didn't see a familiar face at the raid, " – but you arrested my daughter, an adult who is liable to be there." He gestures to Bella cowering at his back, rolling her eyes, and he adds: "Now, she knows what she can and can't do. Trust me, I'd cuff her myself if she did something unlawful. So to avoid this kind of mishap, everyone – this is Isabella, my daughter."

Everyone murmurs a greeting; though their voices are laced with apologies. She flashes a meek smile and nods.

After a few more words, Charlie decides it is time to go home; together, they walk side by side to his car, only to stop when Charlie blocks her entrance. Pressing her wrist to her chest, she senses the drumming inside her ribcage as though her heart wants to leap out and escape. Knowing that the best thing to do is to feign innocence, she frowns at him.

"What's wrong?" She asks, her voice slightly shaking.

Charlie faces her, also carrying a frown upon his face, though bearing a different meaning. He replies with a question, and suddenly her anxiety shifts inside of her, "What were you doing with that Hale kid?" He props his arms on the top of the door with his fingers laced together.

"Jasper...? Nothing. We kinda accidentally found ourselves trapped in the party," Bella explains. She averts her gaze out to the woods across the street, trying her best to avoid Charlie's inquisitive ones, but with a glimpse, she catches the dubious look that painted his face. "Fine," she sighs, regretting her next words, "He saved me, okay? Or at least, tried to. When your cops were trying to cuff me, he ran back to help me and punched them in the face; he didn't do anything wrong. He shouldn't even be here."

"He assaulted a cop – "

"I know. But he was only trying to help," Bella argues, making her frown. What the hell is she doing?

Charlie narrows his eyes. Her friends have always told her what a shit liar she is, so she hoped that Charlie thought to so too. Maybe he'd help him. Why, though, is an entirely different question.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," Bella retorts, fighting to roll her eyes again. "Besides, I haven't talked to him 'til tonight." Nibbling her lower lip to prevent herself from giving away more, she braces her arms in defense.

Charlie doesn't say anything. He glances back at the station and shakes his head; the look on his face changing in disbelief, and for the first time, she doesn't know what it means. He steps away from the door and says, "Wait inside. I'll be right back." Then he runs back to the station before she can ask him anything.

Waiting inside the car, Bella fidgets with the hem of the tiny crop top that Alice lent her for tonight. It doesn't take a while when she sees a tall figure slowly walking out of the station; he wears the same cotton shirt, a pair of faded denim jeans, and partnered with his dirty Chucks – a very plain-looking Jasper Hale. His hair is tousled from his incessant brushing to make it smooth, only to make it more of a mess than before, and his figure outlined perfectly by his shadow.

He glances to her way. Though she can't see his eyes, she can sense the warmth of his look towards her, and as he makes his way to her, it only grows warmer that her tongue begins to feel dry inside her mouth. So, she carefully rolls down her window and waits for whatever he is about to say.

"I guess, we're even." Pushing his hands deep inside his pockets, she can see the muscles on his arms flexing and breathes out to realign her thought. Her eyes turn to look at his shadowed face, noticing the loop-sided smirk on his lips once more, before she hears him say: "Thank you, Miss Bella. I'll see you around." Then, she watches him walk away, even when he passes the car, she can see him from the side mirror.

Christ. What the hell did she get herself into?

* * *

_A/N: I'm back. And I'm deeply sorry. So many things have happened in the last year: (1) I was rediagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). (2) I also quit my job and decided to study full time. Currently, I am enrolled to study Women and Development. (3) I have an massive writer's block that I couldn't finish anything. So now, I'm back. I still have that writer's block, but I hope that I overcome it soon. Anyway, here is a story that I've been working on for a while now. Update schedule is spontaneous, depending on when I get to write another chapter. But I hope you like this, and tell me what you think of this. Thank you. ~ Stella_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

A narrow beam of sunlight bursts through her curtains as her alarm goes off. Then the next thing she knows is that a splitting headache hits her skull. Groaning, Bella reaches out a hand to comfort her aching temples and hisses when a sharp pain comes from her hand.

Right, she sprained it last night.

And last night was... well, she can say "_crazy-interesting_".

Bella rolls over. Reaching for her phone, she discovers the thirteen messages and ten missed calls on her screen. Edward has called her eight times. Alice called her twice. And well, none from... James. She checks her messages, and most of it are asking where she went and where she was. Maybe it was from last night.

But, yeah, still no messages from James.

With a sigh, Bella kicks off her covers and makes her way barefoot to the bathroom. The tiles under her feet send a cold shiver up her spine. She looks at herself in the mirror for a second, and realizing that the bags under her eyes are getting heavier every day. She shakes it off and washes her face down the sink before brushing her teeth. Afterwards, she goes back and opens the closet, picking out her clothes for the day. She quickly dresses herself and applies a light-touch of make-up before going downstairs.

The sound of her boots echo into their tiny residence as Bella steps down the stairs. As she reaches the bottom step, she looks to the kitchen and finds Charlie already taking his morning coffee and reading the broadsheet newspapers.

"Hey, Dad," Bella says, placing her bag on the counter. "G'morning." Taking a seat in front of him, she moves carefully not to hurt her wrist more.

"Oh, hey there," Charlie says and presses his mouth close to remove droplets of coffee. "So, how'd your sleep?"

"I slept fine. Woke up with a headache, though."

"Take some Advil," Charlie replies and focuses his eyes on the newspaper again. "How about the wrist? Still hurting?"

"Eh... It'll be fine," Bella assures with a smile.

Charlie folds the newspaper and sets his coffee down. He turns from his seat and pulls out the medical kit from under the counter. "Come on, let's wrap that up," he says and gestures her to give out her wrist. He places the bandage on the middle of her forearm and wraps it around down to her hand.

"Thanks," Bella says once he finishes.

"Sure. There's some leftover pizza in the fridge if you wanna eat something. I'll take a double shift tonight, so you probably won't see me until early tomorrow morning," Charlie explains as he returns to his newspaper.

"Okay. I'll skip breakfast. I'm late for the bus."

"Alright. Take care, kid," Charlie replies, without looking up as he takes a sip from his coffee. His eyes move side to side as he reads the newspaper.

Bella pulls the strap of her bag and slowly slings it over her shoulder, careful not to hurt her wrist. Walking around the counter, she gives her Dad a goodbye kiss before heading off.

* * *

"WHERE DID YOU GO LAST NIGHT?!"

Snapping the metal door of her locker shut, Bella finds her flamboyantly gay friend standing there with his oh-so-handsome face only inches away from hers. She frowns at him and gives his clothes a worried glance – a tattered shirt with two excessively large arm holes and leather pants. Honestly, he makes himself look like they can't buy clothes, and considering his insanely rich family, he should be able to afford a few decent shirts. His black hair has been waxed sleekly, and a black stud earring in his left ear pierce hangs.

"Well, if you really must know," Bella drawls, struggling _not_ roll her eyes at his incredulous question. "I was looking for you until I got busted." Thank God, Charlie wrapped her sprained wrist with a bandage this morning; otherwise, it would've kept hurting. She cradles it protectively against her chest as she slings her backpack on her other shoulder.

"The Sheriff's girl got busted?!"

"_Who_ got busted?"

Alice – her four feet ten skinny friend – walks up to them as she pops the cherry lollipop in her mouth. Standing a little bit below her shoulders, Bella glances down to her other friend and catches a sight of Alice's clothes – or lack thereof: a spaghetti-strapped crop top marched and ripped denim mini skirt with a pair of silver stilettos. How she escapes her conservative household in only that, Bella doesn't know and probably doesn't want to know. _Would it hurt to try wearing something normal for once_, Bella wonders.

"Bella!" Edward points back to her.

Alice stops, eyes widening, "Hang on – what? _Bella_ got busted? Wow, that's amazing!" She holds out her lollipop in her hand and points it towards her friend.

Bella groans.

"Oh come on, B. Tell me you didn't think that was funny," Edward smirks. He loops his arm around hers and walks down the crowded hall. "I mean, honestly, I didn't think you even have it in you to get busted. You're so _saintly_, and trust me, nobody would think about arresting you even if they caught you violating an innocent bunny somewhere."

"_Ew_! Edward!" Bella shoots her friend a disgusted look. Christ, now her intestines twist at the mental image he plants in her head that makes her want to yak up her dinner from last night. She shakes her head. "I'm not a saint! I do things too - "

"How you phrased that is proof that you are - "

"Besides, it wasn't that funny," Bella says, ignoring his comment, "I even sprained my wrist when I tried to fight them off. Turns out, they replaced the old cops with new ones from the city. They didn't know me."

Edward bushes off an eyelash he found in his cheek while staring at the mirror laid open in his palm, "Well... did your Daddy teach them a lesson?" Then, he waggles his perfectly shaped eyebrows with a sly grin. Alice giggles, breaking her silence in the matter, and pops out her lollipop again.

With a horrified look, Bella shoves him off, causing him to let out a laugh that attracted the attention of the students scattered in the hall. "Seriously, Edward, you're the only person capable of turning anything to a sexual innuendo. Besides, that's gross, and that's _my_ dad you're talking about," Bella scolds as they round to another hallway toward their homeroom.

_Honestly, why am I even friends with them?_

But she already knows the answer. Bella has been friends with Alice ever since they were in kindergarten, until her family decided that she could use some good Catholic teaching to straighten her up, and for the time being, Bella met the angry-at-everything Edward in middle school after he moved from a small, god-awful town in Arizona. Then, when Alice came back, the three of them have been inseparable since.

"Anyway," Bella decides to change the subject, "What happened last night? Who called the cops?"

Edward breaks into hysterics before sneaking a look to the petite girl on the other side with an accomplished grin. Alice, walking next to Bella on her right, glowers at their gay friend with imaginary daggers. Her cheeks blush a deep shade of red.

"Tell her, Alice. I can't believe our dear Bella missed it - "

"Missed what?"

"My dad – " Alice grumbles in frustration, " – called the cops because we took the Cadillac last night. He thought it was stolen. We drove by a patrol car earlier that night, and so a few hours later, the party's busted. Of course, I got into so much trouble with him that he even threatens to bring me back to that horrid Catholic school." She shoots a narrowed look at Edward. "Happy now?"

"Very much," Edward nods in contentment.

"Babe!" Emmett McCarthy appears out of nowhere and plants sloppy open-mouthed kisses along Alice's exposed neck, causing a set of high-pitched giggles to bubble out of her throat. Emmett is massively buff, standing six feet five, which is about twice of his girlfriend's height; and sometimes, when they aren't being so sickeningly gross, Bella catches Edward undressing Emmett with only his eyes.

"Hey, Emmett," Bella greets.

"Hey, B!" Emmett sees her bandaged hand and winces, "Ow. What happened to that?" He wraps his rock-hard arms around his skinny girlfriend's shoulders, making her smaller.

"Oh, Emmett, thank you so much for asking. You see, my _best_ friends here didn't even bother," Bella snickers, glaring at her friends who only feign innocence. "I got busted last night. The cops cuffed me, and I sprained it; it's nothing, really. But thank you." With a sigh, she shrugs it off, not wanting to dwell further on the memory of that embarrassing moment.

"Really? That must be painful," Emmett hisses, thinking about how it must feel. "We were looking for you, you know, but I saw you leave with Hale last night - "

_Oh shit._

"Hale? As in _Jasper_ Hale?! The jock?" Edward echoes, his dark eyes blazing with curiosity. He snaps his head toward Bella, a shocked look forms across his face, and Bella gapes at him. "Now, that's interesting," he muses. "When were you planning to tell us that you were with Jasper Hale? Or were you even planning to tell us at all?"

Her three companions stare at her expectantly that she can sense her own blood boiling through her head. Her cheeks redden at the thought, remembering those blue eyes that glimmer under the moonlight.

"Well," Alice chimes in after a long moment of silence, "She's _definitely_ hiding something."

"I'm _not_ \- "

Edward clicks his tongue, saying, "Uh-uh, that's where it usually begins, B." He reaches and places a chaste kiss on Bella's cheek as the bell rings. "You have 'til lunch to prepare your story, and I expect it to be _grand_. I'll see you bitches around. Bye!" He then skips to his homeroom.

Bella stands frozen. Somehow, her brain has stopped working.

Her remaining friend faces her with a genuine closed smile. Alice reaches up to brush Bella's hair before saying, "B, we're just looking out for you. We're your friends, and it's on us if something bad happens to you. So just be careful."

"But I'm not - " She breathes – and why did it feel so heavy, she can't tell. "You know that I'm still seeing James, right – "

_Is that really it?_

Alice giggles and shakes her head. Her smile widens; the sparkle in her eyes looks so bright that it nearly blinds Bella. The small girl takes Bella's ice-cold hand and squeezes it gently before heading to her own class with Emmett following her behind.

A familiar sensating seeps into Bella's spine as she stands by herself in a crowded hallway. She is alone again. Sighing, Bella checks her schedule again to see what her first class is – Chemistry with Mr Keller. Oh hell, this day just keeps on getting better and better.

* * *

Nobody likes Mr Keller.

Not even any of the Science clubs or Straight A students. And to be disliked, to say the least, by every student in John Marshall High seems a bit far-fetched; however, Mr Keller is completely different from most teachers.

Mr Keller is the assigned Chemistry teacher for seniors. To be honest, Bella doesn't have to take Chemistry until next year with Edward (maybe Alice) but considering that she has to take it in advance for her scholarship application to University of Washington, she has to take the class early.

Even if it means taking it alone.

Without her friends.

And no student in their right mind would enrol in Mr Keller's class without their colleagues – or in this case, a shoulder to cry on. Because Mr Keller teaches with such complexity that an independent individual, that even though they show exemplary skills and knowledge, will learn to add their tears as ingredients in their lab experiments.

_You gotta do this_, Bella tells herself. _This is for the scholarship__._

Because if she fails this class, there wouldn't be any other way to get that scholarship grant. Charlie can hardly afford their mortgage and bills, and he most definitely doesn't get paid enough to save up for college. Even if she worked her ass for the year, she wouldn't be able to save enough for college.

Bella takes her seat in mid-row. At least, in this spot, Mr Keller wouldn't be able to focus all of his attention on her like he did last year when he substituted for AP Biology. That wasn't a fun week at all. But Bella shakes her head and tries to forget that week. This year, she is going to get an A or at least a B+ in Mr Keller's class, which is according to Edward – _educational suicide_.

As students fill in the other empty seats, Mr Keller starts calling them to settle down and looks around the room. He locks eyes with Bella, which made her swallow nervously, and he says, "Well, look what the cat dragged in. A junior in my class." The whole class shift their head toward her, making her feel even smaller.

"What are you doing here, Ms Swan? Lost, are we?" Mr Keller questions her, half-sitting on his desk and crossing his arms.

"No. This is Chemistry, right?"

"Yes, but this class is for seniors."

"Well, this is the last class I need to pass before I'm granted a scholarship for college, so yes, I think I'm in the right class."

"What grade do they require you to get?"

Bella swallows before answering, "An A, or at least, a B+." The whole class lets out a snicker. No one has made it through Mr Keller's Chemistry class with more than B-, and every one of them knows it.

"And you think that I would give you that?"

"Yes." _Really__?_

The whole class lets out a nervous laugh.

"Keep dreaming, Swan."

Bella huffs in surprise at what he said. A surge of anger brews inside her chest. Before she can stop herself, Bella demands: "Is that really impossible, Mr Keller? You are denying me, or any student, the chance to afford college – "

"Before you continue what you're about to say, I suggest you think about what you're going to say next, Swan," Mr Keller admonishes, pointing a finger at her. "You being the Sheriff's daughter mean nothing to me."

_What? No – _

Scoffing, Bella continues: "It's not about that. It's about standing up to you and calling you out. You have the right to be strict, but you don't have to be a jerk about it." The class gasps at her words; their eyes begging her to stop talking before he assigns them with a difficult project. Bella holds her ground.

Mr Keller gives her a condescending look.

He asks, "Do you really think that you can get an A from me?"

"Yes," Bella blurts out firmly, much to her surprise. "Yes, I think I can."

"You think, huh?" Mr Keller smirks. He is taunting her. "Well, then we'll see about that. A junior getting an A in my class. That would be a first." _Suicide_, he means. Mr Keller turns around and starts writing on the blackboard. "Now," Mr Keller addresses the whole class, "Turn your books to page 23, and..."

The rest of his words drown out as she realizes what she has done. Her breathing heightens as the walls begin closing in on her. The lump in her throat turns into stone and has dropped to her stomach. Without a thought, Bella pulls her bag and runs out of the classroom.

* * *

Bella allows her feet to take her anywhere.

She continues to walk without a destination. To be honest, she doesn't know where to go. The risk of her getting caught is higher than her passing Mr Keller's class. She didn't have enough time to ask for an excuse slip; she just took off. What the hell did she do? Didn't she want to get an A in that class? Now, for sure, Mr Keller wouldn't be giving her shit.

Quietly going down the stairs, she checks the corridors for a roaming teacher and spots Mrs Thorne walking, so she flattens herself against the wall and wait for the teacher to walk past her. Not long, she sees Mrs Thorne walking by and busily scribbling something on her clipboard. Bella lets out a sigh of relief as soon as the teacher disappears into the next hallway.

Bella reaches the back doors that lead to the auditorium. She peeks inside the window and checks if it is occupied. Once confirming that it is empty, Bella slips through and hurries up to an abandoned studio where people hide to get high or something.

"Now, who's following who?"

"WHAT THE F – "

Bella spins to where the voice came from. Then, she locks eyes with the same blue eyes that she saw last night. Jasper Hale leans his shoulders onto the wall with his arms cross. A smirk curls into one edge of his lips, making Bella's heart do a backflip in her chest.

What the hell is he doing here?

"Wh... why are you here?" Bella asks, her voice raised in panic.

"You know, I should be asking you that question since I got here first. So... Miss Bella, why are you here?"

"I... I just needed to be alone."

"And of all places, you chose this place?"

"Well, I didn't really think anybody would be here. I mean the classes are on-going."

"Exactly," Jasper frowns and nods in sudden interest. "That's what confused me. Shouldn't you be in class?" He gives her a questioning look and bites his lip to hide the smile on his face.

Bella swallows. He's right, she should be there and getting that A. Now, how is she going to pass that damn subject? Mr Keller would surely fail her for ditching. But Jasper doesn't know that. So she replies, raising her head up, "That is none of your business." She drops her bag on the floor and takes a wooden box to sit on.

"Alright, sure," Jasper surrenders and puts up his hands. He pushes his hands into his front pockets and leans back against a tall shelf. Bella watches him from the corner of her eye. She sees him carefully move a medium-sized metal bin with his leg as though he doesn't want it to spill or something.

"What's that?"

"It's uh... a trash can."

"You don't sound so sure it's a trash can."

"Well, kinda is. But for one thing only," he shrugs.

"What one thing?"

"Uh..."

Bella stands up and peers down inside the container. Inside, she sees a half-filled can of... _are those condoms?_ Widening her eyes, Bella takes one step back and looks at Jasper with horror. "What the hell..."

"Yeah," Jasper says and puts it away. "Somebody should really get that. It's nearly full."

"Why are there used condoms in that?"

"Why do you think?"

_What? Oh. Oh, hell no_. Bella scrunches up her nose when she immediately realizes that this place is a sex den for horny teenagers. For the last three years, all she knows about this place is that it is a good spot to do something you don't want to be caught doing such as smoking or cutting class. But, Bella didn't think about students having sex.

"That's... gross," Bella mumbles and sits back on her chair. She eyes the bin with a disgusted face. "Hang on, did you come here to have sex with someone?" _God, Bella, shut the fuck up_, she tells herself. This is why she always gets in trouble. She can't shut up.

An amused look crosses his face, making him chuckle, before he shakes his head. "No. I came here for the same reason. I wanted to be alone. Besides, no one looks here in the auditorium."

_Oh_. Bella nods. "Do you want me to go?"

"Nah. If it's you I'd have to share this room with, then sure." Jasper takes out a half-pack of Camels from his jeans. He offers the box to her. "Cigarette?"

Bella pulls out a stick from his pack. Jasper lights her cigarette before taking one for himself. The smoke coming out of their mouths look like clouds that fill the cramped studio space.

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

With a frown, Bella questions, "Why do you want to share this room with me? Are you asking me to have sex with you?" She glances at the metal bin again. Gross.

Jasper chortles. The deep sound of his laughter bounces across the tiny room, the soundproof walls vibrating because of how small its space is. Waving a thick cloud of smoke away from his face, he explains, "No. To be honest, I simply enjoy your company. But if you want – "

With a horrified look, Bella feels the blood rushing up to her head.

"Absolutely _not_!"

He lets out another laugh. She watches him rock back and forth, holding his stomach and trying to catch his breath. Shortly after, he manages to tone it down. "Alright," he breathes, "Alright. I know when I'm not wanted."

"It's not that - "

"So you want me, then?"

"No!" Bella exclaims with wide eyes. She opens her mouth and struggles to get a word out. Then she sighs and looks at him softly. "It's not _that_. It's... I have someone. We've been dating for quite a while now, and I really like him."

Silence falls on them. Dropping like a bomb, the light atmosphere begins to shift uncomfortably. It takes a minute before he talks again.

"I see," Jasper mutters. Looking down, he stares at his feet as if they are the most interesting thing he has ever seen. Then, he raises his head again and flashes a tight smile. "Tell me about him. Is he from around here or somewhere else?"

Chuckling nervously, Bella sighs and throws her head back against the wall. She allows her eyes to wander into the dirty ceiling. She thinks about how she can describe James. Somehow, she can't find the right things to say about him.

With smoke coming out her mouth, she replies – not looking at him: "I... no, he's not here from here. He dropped out of Uni to make his music." The last day she saw him was at the airport, which had been three weeks ago. She drove him there using Jacob's truck; and during the entire drive, they have done nothing but fight. As she drove home, she remembers pulling off the road and allowing herself to cry.

He hasn't called since.

"Where is he now?" Jasper asks quietly.

Bella frowns, "What do you mean?"

"Well, he wasn't with you at the party last night, so I assume that either he thought it was some lame-ass party or he was somewhere else," Jasper explains, shrugging. Finished with his cigarette, he crushes it under his foot. He pulls out another and lights it.

"He's... he's in LA right now," Bella says, forcing the words out of her throat. They feel like stones that she can't swallow. "His band got booked in some clubs there. So, he took a chance; maybe they'd get signed and get outta here."

"And you?"

"Me? What about me?"

"How do you feel about that?"

"I... uh," Bella stutters. How, indeed. She doesn't know. And to say that she hasn't thought of it is a _lie_; this – the idea that he might be leaving soon – bothers her to no end. It mostly became the fuel of every argument she had with James. But she knew, deep in her heart, that she couldn't ask him to stay.

_Am I ready to let him go?_

Her shoulders lift to a shrug.

"Well, I... I know that this is what he wanted to do. So I understand."

"That's not what I asked." Jasper steps closer; the distance between them feeling somewhat tighter. She doesn't need to look sideways to see him. She can smell him from where she sits. "What if he got signed? What if he got his ticket out of this shit town we're in? Would you come with him? Or let him go?"

Sighing, Bella drops her head. She hides her eyes from Jasper. He can't see her like this. A few shaky breaths escape her lips, trying to steady the storm inside her chest. _Why the hell should he care about that?_

"I don't know."

That is all he needs to know.

Soon, the bell rings. Their heads turn to the direction of the sound, signaling that the first period has finished. Shaking it off, Bella sighs and faces him again, "Well, I better get back. It's... nice talking to you, Jasper."

"Sure, Miss Bella," Jasper says, a loopsided-smile tweaking at the corner of his mouth.

Bella fights the urge to smile back as she picks up her bag again and exits the way she came in. Shortly, she finds her way back to the hallway flooded with students by their lockers and others walking to their next classes. The weight in her chest remains like a metal chain wrapping around her heart tightly that it might explode, and she wants to vomit.

With one more sigh, Bella shoulders on and heads to her next class.

It's going to be a really long year.

* * *

_A/N: Read and review. Love, Stella._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

The bus halts at the corner of her street. As the door hisses open, Bella steps off and looks sideways to see nothing but empty roads under the last heat of the sun before it sets. The walk to her house is short and quiet, and she can already spot the front porch from afar.

Soon, Bella reaches her house and picks up the mail left on their doorstep. She looks down at each letter (most of it being mortgage notices and unpaid bills) before opening from screen door and unlocking the front door. Slipping in, she sets the mail on the coffee table and goes straight to the kitchen. She places her bag on top of the counter.

Grabbing a clean glass, she opens the tap and pours some water. Then she takes a drink to quench her thirst. She leans against the sink counter and reflects on the last week. Her first week as a junior was supposedly easy except for the fact that Mr Keller made her clean bathroom stalls for a day. He didn't care that she had a sprain. He watched her scrub the vandalism off the walls in the girls' bathrooms with a broken toothbrush.

But that wasn't the worst part.

She saw some of those vandals were about her friends. Nobody said much about her but all those things that were thought of about her friends hurt her. Some of it called Alice a _whore_ and a _slut_ while others called Edward a _cocksucker_ and a _dickwad_. It wasn't the first time she has heard people name them as such – and, honestly, she doubts that that was the last of it – but it does not mean that she has to accept it.

Sure, they're popular enough to have some people gossip about them. But, she just can't help but wish that the gossips are of admiration instead of insults. It hardly matters how spotless she made those walls clean, people still won't stop writing shit about them. Although Bella wants to do something, she can't.

Shaking it off, Bella thinks of something else.

She looks around. The whole kitchen is a mess. Empty beer bottles, soda cans, Chinese take-out boxes, and dirty dishes littered all over the place. Sighing, Bella puts the beer bottles away and the soda cans and take-out boxes into the trash before loading the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

It hasn't been the same ever since her mother left. One day, Renee was telling her that she was only going to the grocery store. Unknown to her, it would be the last time she'd see her own mother. Sure enough, Charlie filed a missing person's report, but Bella knew better. Their bedroom closet was missing all of Renee's clothes, even her toiletries had disappeared, and it wasn't exactly rocket science to put two and two together.

They haven't talked about it. One day, Charlie just stopped looking and spent his spare time drinking all the beer in town. It even got out of hand at one point when Charlie crashed his police car into the town park and took down the founder's statue. After that, Charlie started attending AA meetings in the nearby city to manage his drinking habits. He still casually drinks, but Bella is thankful that he learned to take his drinking habits down a notch.

Bella adapted and managed everything from their bills to their chores. At age fourteen, Bella started working at one of their town's convenience stores; then, at age eighteen, she moved to a bar place on the outskirt of town because it paid better.

That's where she met James.

His band had been playing there that night. She worked double shifts to cover for Angela's, and after they played, she manned the bar where he ordered two shots of Tequila, one for either of them. She turned him down a few times, but when he came to see her every night, she decided that it might be worth it.

And was it? Well, she isn't sure now.

Afterwards, just as Bella begins working on her Geometry homework on the kitchen counter, she hears a set of keys jingling and the door pushed open. She glances up to see Charlie walking in, wearing a plain white shirt. His holster belt hangs on his left shoulder, a large brown bag on one hand, keys on the other, and an exasperated look across his face. He was on a double shift again last night – just like most nights – but this time, he nearly resembles a zombie.

"Hey, Dad," Bella greets. He nods at her in acknowledgement. "Well, aren't you home a bit early?" He chuckles at her joke.

"Well, I took a double shift. I think I deserve an early out, don't you think?"

Bella smirks, turning back to her homework.

"You working tonight?"

"Uh, not tonight. But I'll probably take a double shift on weekends," Bella answers, writing notes on her pad. "Jacob's been covering for most of my shift because last week was hell."

"Good," Charlie comments, "I bought Chow's. Maybe we can have a night-in, you know?"

"Shirmp and noodles?" Charlie hums in agreement. He puts the bag on the counter and sighs in relief. Bella moans in pleasure as she imagines the mouth-watering taste of Chinese food in her tongue. "You're amazing. I could really use some motivation right now. Thank you!"

Charlie snorts. "That teacher still giving you a hard time?"

Bella falls quiet. She focuses on answering her homework and thought about Mr Keller. Of course she couldn't help but vent out to Charlie about Mr Keller. Now, Charlie asks her about Mr Keller everyday as if he's going to shoot somebody.

Truthfully, being the Sheriff's daughter in a small town with a small population is, to say the least, difficult. Everyone always looked at her and watched her. One wrong move, and it would mean he didn't raise her right. So, she always has to be careful about it. She hadn't even kissed a boy until she was seventeen, and even that was an accident. The boy pissed himself thinking he defiled the Sheriff's daughter, and that Charlie would hang him by his testicles.

"It's fine, Dad. I can handle it." Charlie raises a brow at her in disbelief, to which she insists, "I'm serious. It's fine. Really. There's no reason to cause any more trouble. And as you know, I'm already causing trouble by being your daughter."

"Is that so?"

"It's not like that," Bella sighs, a hint of frustration edging in her voice. Charlie raises an eyebrow at her, asking her to explain further. Dropping her pen, Bella takes in a sharp breath and continues, "You know that people are wary of us. Especially you being the town sheriff, you are an important official in Forks. Just one mistake, I'd be dragging your name through the mud."

"That's not true – "

"It is for most people, Dad," Bella says, continuing with her homework.

Charlie doesn't respond to that, and he remains standing on the other side of the counter, thinking quietly, with his hands rested on his waist.

"Alright, then," Charlie shrugs. "But if he still gives you a hard time, you tell me." Bella nods, knowing that Mr Keller will remain a pain in her ass but she probably won't tell Charlie that. Without looking up, Charlie moves toward her to plant a kiss on her forehead. "I'm gonna take a shower, then we'll have dinner." Bella watches him turn and disappear to the living room. The sound of his boots echoes into the empty space around her as he heads upstairs.

\--

If there is anything that Bella and Charlie liked differently, it is football. Charlie loves football so much that he even watches every football game in their local high school. Bella, on the other hand, can't put her mind and heart to appreciate it. Sure, Alice dates Emmett (the football quarterback) but that is basically the extent of her fascination with the game.

Nights like this are common in their household. Either of them sits on either side of the couch; on their coffee table, half-eaten Chinese take-outs are laid out in the open and some beer bottles too, as their old-fashioned TV plays a discolored picture of the football game between the Seahawks vs the Hotshots.

Charlie has one rule in the house: Bella can do what she wants outside the house so long as it abides the law; however, the only person allowed to drink or smoke inside the house is Charlie. He is never strict about anything except this rule, not that she complains. She can easily go to the store to buy some beer if she wanted to get herself pissed.

"Run, you rascals!" Charlie bellows at the TV. Bella snorts and rolls her eyes while taking a shrimp into her mouth. "Goddammit! I can't believe these fuckers. Running around, but not knowing where to run to."

Charlie takes a gulp from his beer.

"Dad, you can turn it off if it pisses you off that much."

"Hey! I'm not gonna turn it off," Charlie argues. "It's football. Everyone gets angry watching football, especially with these shits playing." He gestures angrily at the TV.

"I don't."

"Well, I don't think you're in the right state of mind to not like football. I mean, even your best friend's boyfriend plays in the team. He's the quarterback, right? The big buffalo man?"

Bella laughs.

"Big buffalo man?" She echoes, trying not to choke on her laughter. "Seriously? I can't believe you call Emmett a _big buffalo man_. He's a _softie_." Sure, he is a big man, but whenever he is with Alice, he'd turn into a big teddy bear.

"Well, he's a damn good player, he is."

Bella smirks. Charlie's right, of course; Emmett is a hellavu good player. He has already won three championships ever since he was made quarterback and was given a full scholarship to University of Washington. Although Bella isn't particularly close to Emmett, he appears to be better than most.

"So…" Charlie starts, not tearing his eyes off the TV.

_Uh-oh_. That's not good, is it?

"When am I going to meet that boyfriend of yours?" He catches the look on Bella's face, which she assumes is _not_ a good look when he says, "What? You've been seeing this boy for months, and I haven't met him yet. Am I supposed to wait a year? My gun's already loaded, you know."

Bella shoves him lightly.

Charlie laughs.

She scolds, "Not funny, Dad." Exhaling deeply, she averts his eyes and sips from her soda. "I don't know. Maybe when he gets back from LA. He's busy right now, and you know..." _I really don't_, Bella thinks.

"You sure he didn't run off or something?"

"No, Dad, he wouldn't do that," Bella insists, glaring at her father. Even when she said it, she doesn't seem to convince the old man. Or herself. "I just don't know when. But he'll come back."

Not wanting to be asked any more questions, Bella picks up her empty soda can and Chinese box. She walks to the kitchen and throws them down in the trash. She takes a clean glass and pours tap into it before taking a gulp. In her back pocket rests her phone, which she pulls out and unlocks, only to see that no new messages have popped in.

She sighs.

Yesterday, Bella got tired of waiting and decided to send James a text. He hasn't replied to her yet. Maybe they're busy, or maybe they're dead tired after every set that he forgets to text her. But, of course, the other what-ifs are eating her alive that she strongly fights the urge to throw her phone away.

Shortly, her train of thoughts is interrupted by the landline ringing. Bella looks up and shouts to Charlie, "I got it!" Bella picks up the phone hanging on the kitchen wall and answers, "Hello? Who is this?"

"Well, well, Miss Bella," a deep, familiar voice echoes in her ear, her eyes widening, "I'm seriously disappointed that you forgot about me so quickly."

In panic, Bella flips her head back to see Charlie. He continues to watch TV, totally unaware of who called or whatever is happening. Turning her back, Bella lowers her head and stares down the kitchen sink.

With a quiet voice, she asks: "How did you get my number?"

"It's in the phone directory."

Of course it is. And sure, he would look for it in there rather than politely asking her for it. But would she give it to him? Probably not.

"Why are you calling me?"

"Well, why does anybody call anybody?"

"No," Bella scoffs, "Why are you calling _me_? I'm with someone!"

Jasper laughs, and she imagines him shaking his head at her, "And I'm sure as hell that you're happy with him. I'm not interested in breaking you up."

"Then, why are you calling me?"

"Ain't that what you do when you're friends with someone?"

_Friends?_ Bella scoffs. "We're _not_ friends, Jasper. Just because we shared a jail cell for a night doesn't mean we're friends." She leans against the kitchen counter where she can easily see Charlie. He wouldn't be too happy to know who she's talking to.

"For the record, we were in different jail cells. And it was two hours."

"Whatever," Bella shakes it off. "What do you want? And don't give me the bullshit that we are friends because we're not."

"But, what if I want us to be? Surely, you aren't opposed to giving me a chance, right? I promise to be a gentleman."

Bella opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. She exhales heavily, only to realize that she has been holding her breath.

"W-Why?"

"You know, you ask a lot of questions," Jasper observes. "But, to be honest, I think you're interesting. I mean, you're not boring to talk to like half the people in this god-forsaken town."

_Was that even a compliment?_

She can't tell.

"And if you got bored of me? What, then?"

"That's unlikely. Besides, I don't go around punching cops for anybody," Jasper explains. "Look, I know what the people in this town think of me. What your dad or your friends think of me. But I'd like to know what you think of me, and I'm sure you'd like to know too."

"That's presumptious of you."

"Life's short."

This time, Bella laughs. She checks on Charlie if he heard her. But his attention is only focused on the TV screen. Sighing, Bella turns to the kitchen window with a hand rubbing the back of her neck before she says, "Fine. How do you suppose we do this, _friend_?"

"Meet me at Rusty's in ten," Jasper replies, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Okay," Bella nods and hangs up without saying anything else. Turning, she makes her way back to the living room. Eyes still locked onto the game, Charlie takes a sip from his beer. Bella sighs, telling him the same lie she tells him when she meets James late at night, "Dad, I gotta go. Edward called, and he's having a crisis. You know how it is."

Charlie frowns, "But it's almost ten already. Do you need me to drive you to the Cullen's?"

_Oh shit._

"No!" Unable to bite her tongue quickly enough to keep her from reacting aggressively, she shakes her head and explains, "No, I'll... uh, I'll be fine, Dad. I can still catch the last bus. And I'm sure that Edward will drive me back home." Thankfully, the light in the living room is dim enough that her flushed face goes unnoticed.

"Alright," Charlie gives in. "Don't stay out too late."

"I won't," Bella assures him. She breathes in relief. After planting a kiss on his cheek, Bella walks to the front hall and grabs her jacket. "Don't wait for me, and don't drink all the beer. Love you! Bye!"

With the slam of their front door, she disappears.

\--

Rusty's Arcade Diner is famously known as one of the better dinners in Forks, Washington. Students from their high school usually go here to hang out or play arcade. In here, you can play the classic Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, Galactica, Pinball, and others. There are also two pool tables and a dart board near the counter.

Now, Rusty's is only about five blocks away. It's a short walk, but she wouldn't able to get there in less than ten minutes, so Bella decides to take the bike. She pushes the bike toward the street quietly, casually checking if Charlie's looking at the window, before going.

The lampposts give off a sodium orange shade to provide enough light for the streets. Some of their neighboring houses have their lights off now. But Bella isn't scared; this is her town, she knows this place like the back of her hand.

Bella checks her watch. Ten past five.

As she pedals down the cold deserted streets, Bella regrets not bringing a thicker jacket. If she had, she wouldn't be shivering badly right now. Nibbling her lip to keep the blood circulating, she pedals closer to Rusty's. And, there he is – leaning against the wall, hands in his front pockets, and a cigarette hanging in his mouth. She picks up her pace and pulls the break right in front of him. She doesn't get off her bike.

"Good evening, Miss Bella," Jasper drawls with a smirk. "You're about two minutes early. Cigarette?" He offers a stick pulled out from the packet in his hand.

"What are we doing here, Jasper?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I know that I want some pancakes and I thought I'd call you up and see if you want some too. Also smoke a cigarette or two," Jasper shrugs. He crosses his arms over his chest, making his biceps flex tighter.

_Christ_, Bella mentally curses. _What the fuck am I doing?_

"Why me?" She asks, stepping off her bike. Her hands remain wrapped around the handle. "Anyone would want to be your friend. Why me? I mean, sure, I'm not exactly an outcast, but chances of us being friends are nearly impossible – "

"I don't have any particular reason."

"Earlier, you said that I'm interesting. Now, here you are, saying that you don't have a reason," Bella points out in exasperation. "Which is it? Because what this is make no sense to me."

"I don't know, Bella," Jasper answers. For the first time, she hears the truth in his voice, unblemished and raw. He glances down on the dirt and falls quiet. Then he exhales, "That's why you are here. Because I want to know why. Don't you?"

She blinks, "Don't I, what?"

He clarifies, "Don't you want to know too?"

_Do I? _Bella can't be sure. But he has a point. She can't be the only one who's confused. With a sigh, she says, "Alright, fine. I'll have some pancakes with you. But I just want to point out that this is not a date." Then, she parks her bike on the side of the diner.

"Ain't it a bit too late for a date?"

"Whatever," Bella grumbles as she steps up and pushes the door open. The bell chimes, and Leah – the evening waitress – straightens herself up.

It has been a long time since she came here. She can't even remember the last time; it was probably before she and Mike Newton broke up, with whom she spent a lot of time making out with in the stockroom of his family's grocery store where she used to work.

That was a year ago.

Walking down the aisle, Bella glances around the place. She sees a group of kids hanging in one of the booths. She recognizes one of them as Jennifer Turner, a Goth girl from her Calculus class. Bella walks past them and heads to the farthest booth. She slides on the couch as Jasper takes the other in front of her.

Soon, Leah catches up to them with two menus and a notepad. "So, what'll it be?" Leah asks, taking the pen from behind her ear. Her eyes gaze down on Jasper, the same way whenever Edward oogles at hot boys from all over town.

Ridiculous.

"Two orders of pancakes. And..." Jasper checks the menu, adding, "Uh, a vanilla milkshake for me. That'll be all for me, sweetheart." It nearly makes Bella want to gag. "How about you, Miss Bella? Anything else?"

"And a soda," Bella says directly to Leah. Leah takes note of the orders and nods. She flashes a flirtatious smile toward Jasper while grabbing the menus again and throws Bella a scathing look before heading back to her counter.

Scanning the place, nothing really changed. It looks pretty much the same as when she last came here. Bella glances around, sensing the uneasiness creep into her skin, and from the corner of her eye, she catches him still looking at her.

"What?"

"Nothing," Jasper shakes his head. He leans back and puts his arm over the couch. His eyes continuously watch over her.

"Stop it."

"I find you amusing to look at."

Bewildered, Bella scoffs, "D-did you just hit on me?" Why the hell is she even here? She shouldn't even be talking to him.

Jasper chuckles, momentarily looking away and back to her, before he says, "Well, you are unmistakably pretty, and I think that a lot of people look at you. I'm not hitting on you. I'm just... appreciating the view from here."

"Wow," Bella says sarcastically, "Aren't such a cheeseball?"

"I'd prefer the term romantic."

"Of course, you would," Bella says, rolling her eyes. She looks out the window and thinks of how James wooed her into being with him. During the first couple of weeks since she met him, he was incredibly sweet and attentive. He showed affection to her in public. But now, he doesn't even call or text her to know how she is.

_Stop_, she tells herself.

Not long, their orders arrive. Leah carefully lays the food on the table. Bella looks down at three layers of pancake topped together and dripping in maple syrup and butter. She hears Jasper thank Leah with a toothy grin, making the waitress blush furiously and making Bella roll her eyes. So, to keep her mouth shut, Bella picks up her fork and starts slicing the pancakes.

"So, what do you plan to do after high school?" Jasper starts, opening a window for conversation and taking a mouthful of pancakes in his mouth. He exchanges his gaze between his food and her.

"Why do you ask?"

"Like I said, I want to be your friend. Isn't this what friends do?" Jasper stuffs a large slice of pancakes in his mouth. He goes on, "I mean, I still don't know why I want to. But initially, I like talking to you. You're sensible, you know a lot of things, and you're not boring."

"Lauren Mallory will say otherwise."

"Probably," Jasper nods. Then he shrugs and looks away, "But I try not to care about what she thinks. You shouldn't." He takes another bite. "Honestly, she doesn't even know half the things she talks about. Except, maybe, gossip. So I'm kinda tired of hearing gossip. It might be worthwhile to learn something else other than people's shitty lives."

"Basically, _this_ is gossip."

"No, it's not," Jasper singsongs and lazily points a fork at her. Bella raises a brow. "Gossip is saying shit about a person's life behind their back. I've learned that being with Lauren."

"Fine. Why do you wanna know? About my plans?"

"Well, you're... _you_. You are one of the smartest kids in our school, so I highly doubt that you don't have a plan laid out after high school. Besides, who would want to stay in this horrible town?" His voice is muffled due to the amount of pancakes stuffed in his mouth. Bella watches him drink out of his milkshake.

"I'm trying to get a scholarship to University of Washington," Bella replies. She tries to hide how surprised she is that she told him that. There are only a handful of people who know about it – Charlie, Edward, Alice, and Jacob.

Not James, though. He wouldn't understand.

"See? I know you hate this town," Jasper points out with a smile.

"I don't... _hate_ this town. It's just a little crowded up here, and I want to be in a different place, you know," Bella explains, taking a small bite.

"And your friends? Are they coming with you?"

"I don't know," Bella shrugs. "I mean, Alice isn't exactly the type of person to care so much about grades. Maybe Edward, but I think that he's moving to New York and start his acting career there. I'm not sure." She pauses. She lets out a sigh. "But we still have a whole year to figure it out. We don't have to decide now. What about you?"

"Oh, I'll probably help my dad in the shop. I'm good with cars. It's best if I learn the ropes early on, considering I'll be getting all that in the future anyway," Jasper explains, staring blankly at his nearly finished with his food.

The expression on his face shifts somberly.

"But... you said that this is a shitty town," Bella frowns. "Don't you want to get outta here?" She doesn't know why she is even asking or why she seems so interested all of the sudden.

Jasper smirks.

"Are you asking me to go with you, Miss Bella?"

"No!" Bella replies strongly. Jasper throws his head back in laughter. Her cheeks suddenly grow hotter. Opening her mouth, she starts to blabber, "I only mean that if this is such a horrible town, why stay? You could enroll for a soccer scholarship and go someplace else." Bella crosses her arms, shrugging, "I mean, there's gotta be a better place than this town, right?"

"Yeah," Jasper mumbles. "But I can't. You know why, Miss Bella."

Right.

Jasper falls quiet and focuses on finishing his food. After, he pushes it to the side and drinks from his milkshake. Bella listens to the slurping sound he makes. Neither of them talks until they finish their food.

"You have some syrup in your..." Jasper says, pointing to Bella's chin. Bella quickly picks up a tissue and wipes it off. "There. You got it. So, how about we get outta here?"

"Where are we going?"

"Why, Miss Bella, I'm going to walk you home."

_Uh-oh. Not a good idea._

"Oh, you don't have to. It's alright, I brought my bike, remember?" Bella reminds him, hoping he'd just bite it. "Besides, it's almost midnight. You should get home."

"Nah, it's fine. I'm out all the time. Come on," Jasper insists. Taking out his wallet, he puts the bill on the table before sliding off the booth. He starts walking to the door before Bella can say anything.

Following him outside, Bella finds him already lighting a cigarette. She pushes her bike and walks to him. "You really don't have to walk me home. Trust me, it's a short ride from here," Bella explains, thinking of what would happen if Charlie saw them together. He would certainly flip out.

"I know you can," Jasper drawls, clipping the cigarette between his fingers, "I could use a walk, though. Besides, I don't want to be suspected of not taking care of the Sheriff's daughter if something bad happened to her. After all, I'd be the last person to see you."

Bella rolls her eyes.

Though, he does have a point. But if she died tonight, it wouldn't be a good idea if the last person to see her is Jasper. It would raise too many questions. So, no – it's too risky, and she isn't totally ready to risk it yet.

"That's exactly why you can't walk me home. He might see you."

"So?"

"_So_?" Bella echoes, blinks at him in surprise, "So… he'll probably say some things, and I can't promise you that I'll be able defend you from him." She can hardly defend him from her friends. It wouldn't come as a surprise if she can't defend him from Charlie.

"Then don't," Jasper shrugs nonchalantly. He takes a puff from his burning cigarette. "Let them say things. I've pretty much heard everything." Bella raises her eyebrows at him. "Fine, let me at least walk four blocks with you."

He stares at her defiantly. With a heavy sigh, she nudges him to follow her. She pushes her bike forward. They stroll side by side in the middle of the dark and empty streets with Bella pushing her bike and Jasper still smoking. He offers her a stick, which she refused; not that she is scared of Charlie smelling it on her, but she's not in the mood for one.

Silence lingers in the air that they both breathe.

Until Bella breaks it.

She starts, "Can I ask you a question?"

Bella looks up at him. He stands a few inches taller than she is, and despite how dark it is, she can clearly see his face. That night comes back to her, the two of them sharing Curtis Moelk's rooftop, and she tries to remember the other times that she'd seen him somewhere. In the school hallways, twirling Lauren's hair with his fingers. In the soccer field, playing alone and juggling the ball from his feet to his chest to his knees. She has only seen him this close a few times, and only now does she realize how different he looks in the dark.

_Good different. Definitely._

"Well, you just did."

"Smartass," Bella mutters, hiding her smile. "No, I'm serious. I want to ask you something. If it's okay with you." Jasper looks down at her and stares at her for a while before nodding. Bella inhales and asks, "Did you really love Lauren?"

Jasper lets out a hearty laugh.

"Wow, what a conversation turner, Miss Bella. I'm impressed."

Bella tries out to shove him; however, with her bike between them, she bumps against it and nearly falls over but he catches her elbows.

Looking up, she immediately steps back and adjusts her stance before she shakes it off. Then, she continues on walking and waves a hand in the air. "I get it," Bella realizes, nodding, "It's… it's a stupid question. I mean, of course, you did. Everybody falls in love with that kind of girl."

Despite being the psychotic harpy that she is, Lauren has the ability to make anyone fall at her feet and kiss her toes. If she tells someone to jump, they ask how high. It's just the way it is. Bella can't blame him for falling for her. Not when she has the power to bend everyone to her will.

Jasper throws what is left of his cigarette and pushes his hands inside his pockets.

"I did," he mumbles with a dejected sigh and shrugs, "Even though she was a world-class bitch to everyone, I didn't think of her that way. I really thought she cared about me. But I guess not." He laughs humorlessly at that as if it was a cosmic joke.

Bella opens her mouth to ask another question when they both realize that they've reached the fourth block. They stop to look at each other. Bella grips the handle of her bike tightly and trying to stitch the words in her mouth. Jasper raises his shoulders and slumps it back down again. Neither of them knows what to say to each other. Nor do they know how to say goodbye. And honestly, Bella isn't even sure what happened tonight.

Did either of them find out the answer to their questions?

"So, I guess, this is it."

"Yeah."

"Good night, Miss Bella," Jasper tips his head in salute and slowly takes a step back to the way they came from. "I'll see you around. I'm sure you know where to find me."

He flashes her a smirk.

Bella giggles, shaking her head, before continuing to push her bike toward the next block while Jasper walks back away into the darkness.

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A/N: Read and review. Love, Stella.


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